In the past, Jeep’s done it up big for the NAIAS, unveiling wild concepts, driving new production models through plate glass, and the like. This year though, things are a bit tight. Instead of throwing a booze-soaked bash around some miles-from-production concept, Sergio Marchionne is going to lay out some saltines and Tang and let visitors paste some cheap decals he picked up in China on a Wrangler. All this in celebration of Jeep’s first new products in ages: the Unlimited Mountain and Islander edition Wranglers. Featuring the cheapest, most gimmicky-looking graphic decals and upholstery ever foisted upon the buying public (random latitude/longitude readings? really?), these “special” editions need to keep Jeep gasping along until ChryCo can get the suppliers lined up for the new Grand Cherokee. Meanwhile, stand by for more special editions from Chrysler, hinted at in the firm’s five year plan. This is going to get even uglier before the actual Fiat products show up later this year.

The Wrangler/YJ was always the one Jeep I could appreciate, because it was purpose-built and completely devoid of false pretensions. This new marketing angle, including the cheesy stickers and the Barbie-doll T.V. spots, is a real disappointment. Save it for the Patriot.

Jeep has been doing this forever. Slap a cheap badge on the hood and it’s a “Special Edition” Wrangler. This really isn’t something new. There was an Islander in the early 90’s that was really just an option package and special colors, and there was the atrocious Renegade with the terrible body kit that would get torn to pieces in off-road use. There was a Rio-Grande (cheap to the max trim), Rocky Mountain (special seat appliqués?), 50th anniversary or 25th or something edition (gold wheels and an eagle sticker on the hood), and don’t forget the Tomb Raider Edition Rubicon. I know there are more than that. They have never been shy about pumping out “special” editions.

Yup, they have been doing this forever. I had a 1978 CJ7 Renegade. Dark Brown, Gold Trim, White and Gold Wagon Wheel Rims. I cannot disclose what my friends and I used to do while cruising around the east side of Detroit in our senior year of high school on that thing.
Honestly, if you don’t like it don’t buy it. Save your money and get a Rubicon. Get an X and slap your own rims and stickers on it. That’s what a Jeep can be all about. Make it your own, or buy what they put together.
Ed, you completely missed the point here. This was being done even when they were the most profitable auto maker on earth.

Oh, finally … isn’t this business about product, product, product and your belly aching about not putting on a booze-soaked bash …. with tax payers money none the less???

Instead of throwing a booze-soaked bash around some miles-from-production concept, Sergio Marchionne is going to lay out some saltines and Tang and let visitors paste some cheap decals he picked up in China on a Wrangler

Yes, such as 38.5n 109.5w, though any coordinates seem asinine.
While there have been a lot of Jeep special editions in the past, these seem like the least special of all. There’s nothing absurd (Golden Eagle), memorable (Tomb Raider), or halfway cool (Willys Edition) about these. This is pretty desperate.

…visitors paste some cheap decals he picked up in China on a Wrangler.
If the decals don’t fall off before the snack trays are emptied JD Power is going to come out with a survey claiming great strides in initial quality.

You had to have listened to Michael Manley (a Brit) explaining to the American press what the Jeep brand was all about to “understand” the Mountain/Islander deals. (Kinda like imagining a German standing up in Maranello and explaining to the Italian press what Ferrari was all about.)
With that as your starting point, these garish absurdities make sense.

I’ve posted this before, and it saddens me to report since I really wanted to like the product. However, 6 years ago I bought a new Wrangler. They’ve been making them forever and I thought Chrysler would have gotten them straight. It was in the shop five times the first year for engine-electrical problems. The thing eventually developed what is called “death wobble” but the dealer couldn’t figure it out. Maybe I just had a dead dog, but this experience sealed my book on owning any Chrysler product. If they can’t get the venerable Jeep right, what can they get correct? The Jeep should be an icon. It is the real American. God I hope mine was just an aberration.

I agree TTAC has a pronounced bias against anything Chryco, and “Sebring” always elicits the usual clap trap. I, too, am a long-time Dodge boy, and have had great luck with them over the years. However, you and I must both agree that most of Chrysler’s wounds have, historically, been self-inflicted. As someone once observed, “The gates of Hell are locked from the inside.”

Whether this has been done before or not, this is cynical marketing, at best. I think it will piss more people off than it entices. Why shouldn’t Chrysler be called out for this? If anything, Jeep should be treated like gold right now, not have its bread and butter sullied with tacky stickers.

I’m sorry, but did you just compare these cheesy and unimaginative “special editions” to a $20k Ferrari?
If you prefer to just read the manufacturer press release on these very special vehicles, there are plenty of other car blogs out there ready to oblige. Meanwhile, we’ll keep calling things as we see them.

I bought a new Wrangler in 92. At that time Jeep offered an Islander edition and a Sahara edition beyond the base trim level. The editions were essentially decals and upholstery changes (dunno, maybe different wheels). So this decal marketing is not new for Jeep.

Incidentally, that Jeep was returned under my state’s lemon law for a full refund 18 months later.

Recently bought a 2010 Wrangler Unlimited. THis was taking a real chance for me, after my prior craptastic experience. So far so good.

My neighbor just went to trade in his 24 month old Caliber. He was offered $5300. Golly, I wonder what the high performance Avenger Heat will bring in 2 years? It will probably be on Barrett Jackson by then.